Track level



C. M. LONG TRACK LEVEL Aug. 7, 1923.. 1,464,285

1 Filed Aug. 31. 1922 I 7/ /f I l/Vl/E/VTOR Him-Longs WWW Hi6,

ATTORNEYS l atented f ing 7, i923,

iiniran CHARLES M. LONG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACK LEVEL.

Application filed August 31, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnnnnns M. Lone, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Track Levels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion.

My invention relates to improvements intrack levels, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a track level which is adapted to straddle a track, and which has means for indicating the number of inches one of the rails is disposed above the other rail.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the indicator means is entirely enclosed, except for the indicating pins.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described. in which the reading may be done from either side of the device or from the top thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which is sensitive to slight variations in the heights of the rails.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which has means for automatically disposing the device at right angles to the rails.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which is readily portable.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction, durable and eliicient for the purpose intended, and which is not likely to easily get out of order.

Qther objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

My invention. is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis application, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device shown operatively applied to a track,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed section of a portion of the device.

In carrying out my invention, I provide Serial No. 585,501.

an elongated frame such as the board 1 which is of the shape shown in Figure 1 It will be noted that the board is widest at its mid point and tapers from this point to the ends of the board so as to provide a frame which is substantially triangular in shape. The length of the board is substan-.

tially the same as the distance between the two rails of a track. Tron plates are disposed at the ends of the board and extend a slight distance beyond the board, these plates supporting the board when it is disposed on the rail. The plates 3 and l: are not likely to wear out very soon and therefore permit the board 1 to be used a relatively long time. The plate 3 has downwardly extending lugs 5 which bear against the inside of the rail 2 and automatically dispose the board 1 at'right angles to the rail. The plate i is flat and is adapted to rest upon the top of the rail. From this construction it will be apparent that when theboard l is disposed on the track and the lugs 5 are brought into engagement with the inside of one of the rails, the board 1 is automatically disposed at right angles to the track, whereupon the indicator will accurately show the difference between the levels of the two rails.

The indicating mechanism comprises a weight in the form of a wedge-shaped plate 6 which has pivot pins 7 projecting from the sides thereof, these pins being provided with a knife-like lower edge 8 (see Figure which is supported in a ll-shaped notch 9 in the top of the board. The plate 6 is wider at its lower end and is adapted to freely swing within an opening 10 in the member 1. In this manner, the plate 6 is protect ed on all sides, but is still. permitted to swing freely within. the opening 10. The underside of the board 1 has an arcuateshaped recess Ill cut therein. A. transversely extending block 12 is disposed within the recess 11 so as to provide an arcuate-shaped slot 13 in. the board 1. The member 12 projects laterally beyond the sides of the board 1 (see l igure 2) and has scale markings 14 on the upper surface thereof. The upper surface of the block 12 is arcuate-shaped, the center of the surface coinciding with the pivotal point of the plate 6. The plate 6 has indicator pins 15 disposed at its lower end, these pins projecting through the arcuate-shaped slots 13 and moving over the scales 14:. In this manner, the device may be read from either side or from the top thereof.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. A plate 16 is secured to the central fiat portion 17 of the board 1 and encloses the upper end of the opening 10, whereby the opening is kept free from dust, dirt, and the like. A handle 18 is secured to the plate 16, the center of the handle being directly above the knife edge 7, so that the frame is evenly balanced when the device is being carried,

and thus it can be carried easily by one hand.

When using the device, it is placed upon the rails 2 and is positioned so as to cause the lugs 5 to engage with the inner side of one of the rails. In this way the opera tor knows .that the device is at right angles to the rails. If one of the rails is higher than the other rail, the plate (3 will swing about the point 8 and cause the pins 15 to ride over the scales 14 and to indicate the number of inches one rail is above the other. The scales 14 may be graduated in any man ner desired so as to permit the operator to instantly know the distance between the heights of the two rails. In case the rails are desired to be made level, the rails are lowered or raised until the pins 15 are at zero on the scales 14. Inthis manner, the.

person using the device instantly knows that the two rails are level. In the case of a curve, one rail may be raised above the ily moved from place to place along the The device is extremely simple in track. construction and operation, and is durable and efficient for the purpose intended.

I claim:

A track level comprising a frame adapted to straddle the railsof a track, plates carried by the ends of said frame and being adapted to rest on the rails of the. track, one of said plates having downwardly extending lugs adapted to abut the inner side of one of said rails, so as to position the frame at right angles to the rails, said frame having an opening therein and a notch. in the upper edge thereof, an indicating arm or weight disposed in said opening and having pins disposed in said notch, and a block disposed in said opening and sgaced from said frame to provide a slot between the block and the, frame, saidblock extending laterally beyond the sides of the frame and being provided with a scale on its upper surface, and a pin carried by the arm on each side thereof, and arranged to project through the slot above the scale. I

CHAR-LES M. LONG. 

